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By:

Akhilesh Sinha

25 June 2025 at 2:53:54 pm

External involvement in Chandranath’s murder

Political and Geopolitical forces behind the killing in West Bengal New Delhi: The 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections have not only signaled a new trajectory in Indian politics but have also stirred ripples in global geopolitics. The unprecedented victory of the BJP in the state brought to light events that reveal how the long-standing cycle of political power struggles and violence is now emerging in a new form. The most alarming manifestation of this shift came late Wednesday night with...

External involvement in Chandranath’s murder

Political and Geopolitical forces behind the killing in West Bengal New Delhi: The 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections have not only signaled a new trajectory in Indian politics but have also stirred ripples in global geopolitics. The unprecedented victory of the BJP in the state brought to light events that reveal how the long-standing cycle of political power struggles and violence is now emerging in a new form. The most alarming manifestation of this shift came late Wednesday night with the murder of Chandranath Rath, personal secretary to senior BJP leader Shuvendu Adhikari. Chandranath Rath, a veteran who served 15 years in the Indian Air Force, was closely working with his family friend and senior BJP leader, Shuvendu Adhikari. His killing is more than an isolated personal attack and it signals a disturbing new dimension of political violence. Historically, electoral violence in West Bengal has targeted the workers of losing parties. This time, however, even the leaders and workers of the winning side have fallen victim. The implications of this violence extend beyond the state's borders. Following the BJP's landslide victory in West Bengal, the activity of anti-India elements in neighboring countries has intensified. Bangladesh and Pakistan have expressed concern over the party's victory, while China and the United States are also closely monitoring its implications. This highlights that election results in border states now carry geopolitical significance far beyond local politics. For decades, West Bengal and Assam have been treated as strategic zones in broader geopolitical games, with external forces allegedly attempting to maintain unrest in these regions over the past seven decades, like Jammu-Kashmir. Investigations into Chandranath Rath's murder indicate a pre-meditated conspiracy. The assailants used advanced Glock 47X firearms, suggesting that the plot was not confined to local planning alone. The crime occurred just 60 kilometers from Basirhat, near the Bangladesh border, which strengthens the likelihood of external involvement. Violent History History shows that violence and muscle power have always been intertwined with West Bengal politics. From the "Khaddo Movement" of the 1960s to slogans like "Dam Dam Dawai," political action was often synonymous with coercion, intimidation and murder. During the Left Front era, strategies like "scientific rigging," booth capture, and leveraging local goons became commonplace. Later, the Trinamool Congress inherited these structures and kept them under its control. Today's events demonstrate that this system remains alive. Border Dynamics The complexity of border areas and communal dynamics further complicates the scenario. In constituencies along the West Bengal and Assam borders, Muslim candidates secured victories, while regions adjacent to West Bengal in Bangladesh are represented by members of Jamaat-e-Islami. Groups like Jamaat-e-Islami have long pursued anti-India agendas, and their influence can be seen in electoral outcomes across these areas. The BJP's recent victory, and the violence that ensued, draw attention to geopolitics. The President of the United States congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking an unprecedented acknowledgment of a state-level BJP win. In contrast, Pakistani and Bangladeshi media have reacted with alarm, while discussions in Bangladesh's parliament highlight concern for the Muslim communities in these regions. Local outbreaks of violence further underline that West Bengal is no longer merely a domestic political theatre, however, this is a hub of geopolitical activity, where external forces seek to keep unstable and chaotic. This cycle of political violence extends beyond individual acts. It has become a complex mix of administrative inefficiency, local political rivalry, and external interference. The immediate presence of DGP Siddh Nath Gupta and CRPF DG Gyanendra Pratap Singh at the crime scene underscores the gravity of the situation. Chandranath Rath's murder is not merely a personal tragedy but a broader political and societal security challenge. The events echo the 1970s when Naxalism emerged in West Bengal, eventually spreading across India's "Red Corridor." Rath's assassination makes it clear that politics in West Bengal is no longer limited to electoral competition or local governance. The incident lays bare the intertwined realities of political violence, international geopolitics, and social security concerns. If the current trends continue, West Bengal may evolve into a region sensitive not only to national politics but also to global strategic interests.

DNA Forensics and Justice: How Science Is Reshaping India’s Courts

DNA is the essence of life—and an ever-expanding frontier where science, society, and justice continue to uncover new possibilities.

Law and DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) science often intersect, especially in criminal and family law. These intersections appear in many situations, such as using DNA to establish paternity or maternity in succession disputes or maintenance cases. They also raise ethical questions, including the risk of undermining a child’s legitimacy and future.


DNA evidence can both convict and exonerate. As science advances, its role in forensic evidence continues to expand. This article examines how DNA science supports the pursuit of justice in criminal forensics and also how it can sometimes hinder it. It also examines how the new criminal laws address this inconsistency.


Being free from human biases, DNA evidence offers credible objectivity that human evidence fails at. Hence, it provides strong persuasive value for justice. An optimist would believe that DNA forensics not only simplifies investigations but also makes judicial decision-making easier. Such optimism must be tempered with caution – no investigation is easy, as when ease in investigation creeps in, it happens with the help of procedural shortcuts, often to the detriment of an innocent.


One of the most harrowing cases that shook the core of the country was the murder of Pradyuman Thakur in 2017. The irony that a little boy gets his life taken away within the safe premises of his school instigated a public outcry that demanded swift justice for Pradyuman. The initial investigation by the Gurugram Police nearly derailed this pursuit, and within 24 hours, a culprit was brought to the fore, the bus conductor named Ashok Kumar, with unsubstantiated circumstantial evidence.


However, he was saved when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over and told the court that there was no evidence against Ashok Kumar in the Pradyuman murder case, as DNA reports ruled out his involvement.


Conversely, the Chhawla Gangrape-Murder Case of 2012 demonstrates how conclusive and scientific evidence cannot stand up to judicial scrutiny in the event of a shoddy investigation. DNA markers were found at several locations of the crime scene, and the semen of one of the accused was found in the vaginal swab of the victim. Poorly executed investigation cast a shadow of doubt on the credibility of evidence, and the court had to acquit the accused, even suggesting the possibility of evidence tampering.


The two cases discussed represent the two opposite ends of the spectrum – in one, DNA forensics safeguarded an innocent. In other words, it proved to be of no value due to investigative deficiencies. The variable underlying this disparity can be attributed to the integrity of the investigation.


The new criminal laws – Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bhartiya Nyaya Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bhartiya SakshyaAdhiniyam (BSA) – mark a landmark shift in the legal framework, especially in its approach to forensics. Section 176(3) of the BNSS mandates that forensic experts inspect the scene of a crime and that such inspections be video recorded. This has revolutionised the forensic investigation by maximising transparency and minimising discrepancies. Had this provision existed during the Chhawla murder, it would have preserved the integrity of the police investigation, and the true picture would have become clear.


To conclude, while DNA forensics is a powerful tool to meet the ends of justice, the interplay between the new laws and their implication on the investigation procedure is detrimental to the future of forensic evidence. If the aim is achieved, DNA forensics will emerge as the guardian of justice and a deterrent to crime.


(Dr. Kumar is a retired IPS officer and forensic advisor to the Assam Government. Manya Jain is a student of National Forensic University, Guwahati.)

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